Winter squash question

Roseinarosecity 7/9/2018, 4:05 pm

I planted Lakota squash, a winter squash, in the beginning of April and now it has been on the ground for 95 days. The package of seed said ready to harvest in 85 to 100 days. It's now been 95 days and I have quite a few squashes. I am beginning to see powdery mildew spots in the oldest leaves, which is not too bad, considering it is coming to the end of the season for this squash.

I would like to know if I could stop watering the squash now and let the large size squashes harden?
I have about 8 good size squashes.
These are some of the good squashes:
Winter squash question L_squa10

I'm beginning to see the late small squashes start to dry up, even with daily, deep watering. Here is what is happening to the later, tail-end squashes:

Winter squash question L_squa13

**Scorpio Rising** 7/9/2018, 7:29 pm

To me, that looks like poor germination. I think you can start letting the big nice squashes harden a bit. Let’s see what others think! They are lovely, Rose!

No_Such_Reality 7/9/2018, 11:00 pm

My butternut does the same thing. I think its cuz all the energy is going to seeds in the mature squashes. As soon as I pick the ripe ones, the next generation of babies quits shriveling on the vine.

I pull butternuts off throughiut the season like cucumbers .if i stop, i stop getting new squashes.

**sanderson** 7/10/2018, 3:03 am

Interesting. I leave the winter squash on the vine until the skin has hardened and the season has ended.

bluelacedredhead 7/10/2018, 9:33 am

I agree with No_Such_Reality. If the plant has powdery mildew, it doesn't have enough energy left to grow new fruit and stay healthy. Enjoy the beautiful fruits of your labour, they are lovely looking squash.

Roseinarosecity 7/10/2018, 3:36 pm

No_Such_Reality wrote:My butternut does the same thing. I think its cuz all the energy is going to seeds in the mature squashes. As soon as I pick the ripe ones, the next generation of babies quits shriveling on the vine.

I pull butternuts off throughiut the season like cucumbers .if i stop, i stop getting new squashes.

I have never grown butternut squash; by ripe do you mean the stem is attached to the plant is dry, like a watermelon? I did grow a gourd last year and I did wait for the stem attached to the gourd to dry up before I harvested. The gourds were for artwork, not food.

Roseinarosecity 7/10/2018, 3:39 pm

Keep watering until it hardens? Maybe, don't water so much? I agree the squash is coming to its end, too.

No_Such_Reality 7/10/2018, 5:56 pm

Roseinarosecity wrote:
No_Such_Reality wrote:My butternut does the same thing. I think its cuz all the energy is going to seeds in the mature squashes. As soon as I pick the ripe ones, the next generation of babies quits shriveling on the vine.

I pull butternuts off throughiut the season like cucumbers .if i stop, i stop getting new squashes.

I have never grown butternut squash; by ripe do you mean the stem is attached to the plant is dry, like a watermelon? I did grow a gourd last year and I did wait for the stem attached to the gourd to dry up before I harvested. The gourds were for artwork, not food.

No, butternut are ripe once their skin changes color from greenish to beige. The skin will get hard and look more matte in appearance.

SFGate says a Lakota is ripe once the skin is hardened enough to prevent your fingernail from easily puncturing it and the color deepens. Sounds a lot like butternut, the shell hardens and color changes. I'd guess the bigger one in the first photo is ready to pick, if not all three. The bottom photo looks a little glossy like the shell might not be hard yet. Check'em. Cut them off with a sharp knife leaving a bit of stem like a good pumpkin on it or it'll rot. JM2C.

Make sure the Lakota squash is ready to pick by pressing your fingernail into the skin. If the skin resists puncture, then it’s ripe enough to pick. As the squash matures, the outer shell hardens and the color deepens. Using a sharp knife or pruners, cut squash from the vine. Make sure to leave at least an inch of stem to discourage rot.

For the parts that have PM, my butternuts are remarkably resilient. A severe pruning of infected leaves and vines seems to encourage new growth.

Roseinarosecity 7/11/2018, 8:05 pm

I did the fingernail test and my nail leaves a nail mark. I guess I have to wait a little longer. Burpee seed company has a picture of the real squashes versus Botanical Interest painted picture. I got my seed from Botanical Interest. The Burpee picture below shows a deeper dull orange.

Winter squash question Prod000936

OhioGardener 8/6/2018, 5:38 pm

No_Such_Reality wrote:
For the parts that have PM, my butternuts are remarkably resilient. A severe pruning of infected leaves and vines seems to encourage new growth.

For me, the pruning is the most important part of growing squash. Squash need air and sunlight to successfully grow, and if the leaves are too heavy the will not get enough air circulation nor will they get enough sun. The powdery mildew is caused by too much moisture collecting on the leaves, which means they are not getting enough air and sunlight to dry them out. Severe pruning corrects those problems. Overhead watering will also cause various diseases, which watering at the soil level will prevent.

**Scorpio Rising** 8/6/2018, 6:31 pm

OhioGardener wrote:
No_Such_Reality wrote:
For the parts that have PM, my butternuts are remarkably resilient. A severe pruning of infected leaves and vines seems to encourage new growth.

For me, the pruning is the most important part of growing squash. Squash need air and sunlight to successfully grow, and if the leaves are too heavy the will not get enough air circulation nor will they get enough sun. The powdery mildew is caused by too much moisture collecting on the leaves, which means they are not getting enough air and sunlight to dry them out. Severe pruning corrects those problems. Overhead watering will also cause various diseases, which watering at the soil level will prevent.

Also, under pollination also happens from un-thinned squash. The bees etc. just cannot find the blooms. They need good circulation!

OhioGardener 8/6/2018, 7:56 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Also, under pollination also happens from un-thinned squash. The bees etc. just cannot find the blooms. They need good circulation!

Excellent point! I tend to forget about that since I have so many Mason bees in the gardens to pollinate the plants - they are so much better at pollinating than domestic honey bees, because they are smaller and no affected by the weather like honey bees are. I have several solitary bee houses hanging around to provide nests for them, such as this one:

Winter squash question Bee_ho10

**Scorpio Rising** 8/7/2018, 5:42 pm

I love the tiny bees! I love you

suseine 8/28/2018, 9:10 am

Aside from being useful, mason bees look cute!

**Scorpio Rising** 8/28/2018, 5:50 pm

suseine wrote:Aside from being useful, mason bees look cute!

They are adorbs.... Winter squash question 2636062189

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